All right guys, bad news. Unfortunately, this is the last chapter before the very short epilogue. :( So... hopefully, this chapter will satisfy you. I know the story seems so short now, but . . . I think it's come a long way and everyone's enjoyed so far. So, here is the last chapter (well, last main chapter besides the epilogue).
Chapter ten
"If only I had listened, perhaps things wouldn't have happened the way they did. I didn't want to change my choices, though. I was happy being Inuyasha's mate. I was happy that I could do what I felt was right. That was all that mattered. Following my heart was the most important."
Kagome Higurashi
I stood in front of Kikyo's grave, a bouquet of white lilies in my hand, like before. Memories rushed back to me, of the night of the winter solstice. I laid the flowers down, in front of her grave, sadness rushing through me.
"So is tonight the night, Kagome?"
I recognized the voice without having to turn around. "Yes. The night that we avenge you, Kikyo." I turned to face her, and she wore the same white and red assemble from before. She looked so frail in the moonlight, and so sad.
"I watched, the other night, what happened with Naraku. And he did not lie, when he said he did not murder me." Kikyo said quietly, taking a step toward me.
I was surprised. "What do you mean?"
"Naraku sidestepped the question. He didn't murder me himself, but . . . commanded Leonard to do so. Leonard was the one who threw me from the window. Naraku did not want his hands sullied with the death of the woman he loved. And he couldn't do it, himself. He couldn't kill me. He wanted me, but lost me to Inuyasha." Kikyo's voice was soft, and her brown eyes were trained to the grass swaying in the breeze. "And if he could not have me, he didn't want Inuyasha to have me either. He wanted to rid himself of his feelings for me. And also, he wanted to end me before Inuyasha could think of claiming me.
"Naraku benefited, either way, but he also lost." she went on. "He got rid of his feelings, but he lost me, in the process, and any chance he might have ever had. Naraku did not think that I could possibly figure out how it happened, but it wasn't hard to gather. He sent Leonard after you many times, so I was able to put it together. I remember now, seeing blond hair . . . Blond hair on the man who threw me."
"Kikyo . . . I'm sorry." I said softly.
"There's no need for you to apologize, Kagome. You cannot change the things of this world that are meant to be." Kikyo looked up, and met my eyes. "Just like, I cannot change the fact that you and Inuyasha are meant to be together."
I felt my heart jerk painfully at that. So she knew. "Kikyo . . ."
"Please, Kagome." Kikyo held up a hand. "I cannot deny the pain within me at the thought. However . . . you are something to Inuyasha that I never was. He is a half demon, and I was not an ordinary woman. There was not a world that existed where we could have ever been together peacefully."
"Then what makes me different? I'm human." I protested.
"Because you, Kagome, accept him for who he is. And you did not ever wish that he was human. Not once. I wasn't that way. I could not accept him completely." Kikyo looked away, and there was shame and pain in her gaze. "I wish . . . I could ask for his forgiveness."
"He doesn't hold it against you, Kikyo. He still loves you." I whispered, heart broken, half reaching out toward her, as if to comfort her.
She smiled as her eyes closed, and tears slipped down her perfect face. "And I him. I will always love Inuyasha, as long as my soul exists. Kagome." she opened her eyes, and looked at me. "Take care of Inuyasha. You are his mate now. I can sense that. I didn't realize it, the first time we met, how you felt about Inuyasha, but now, it is clear. It took time for me to accept it . . . to accept that you and Inuyash are destined to be . . . but, with no regrets, I will give you my blessing."
I moved toward her, and reached out. She reached toward me, in return, and her palm touched mine. I could feel her hand, cold against my own, and I could feel the spiritual energy. "I can't do anything for you. I can't save you. I can't do anything to help you . . . other than this. Other than saving your soul. That's all I can do. If I could give you my own life . . . I would."
"That is all I ask, Kagome. Avenge me, so that I may rest." she closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, they were filled with hatred and pain. "Naraku approaches. It is time, Kagome. Have courage." she vanished.
I turned back to Kikyo's grave, my hand clasped to my chest. I took a deep breath, hearing the soft whisper of grass as someone came toward me. It's time. It's time to end this. Once and for all.
"I'm sorry to hear about you and Inuyasha." Naraku said in the smooth tone of his, which meant that he was already up to something.
"Yeah, well, I'm not. Good riddance." I said snootily.
Naraku chuckled. "I wish Kikyo had been as wise as you, Kagome." Naraku moved to my side. "You're better off without that half demon. Also . . . I wish that she had been as clever as you, trying to trick me as you are."
My eyes widened, and as soon as the words left his mouth, he seized my wrist, and brought my face close to his. "You wretched little wrench. You think you can outsmart me? Your performance was quite admirable, but unfortunately for you, I'm not a half wit." his voice was cold and his smirk was smug. I struggled, but he was too strong for me to break his hold.
"Let me go!" I tried to kick him, but he evaded me easily.
Naraku laughed, and the sound sent cold chills all down my body. "Foolish girl. I will take care of you, as I took care of Kikyo. I don't love you. So it will not be a problem for me to kill you with my bare hands. I will end you now."
I gasped, and looked over my shoulder as I heard shouts, seeing Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha racing towards us. "Inuyasha!" I screamed, reaching out towards him.
Naraku's hand gripped my neck, cutting off my air circulation, and he lifted me off the ground. "It's such a waste, to kill you like this. But you will plague me no more." His eyes narrowed. "Die." A purple mist began to issue from his mouth, and soon, it swirled around us, entering my lungs and choking me. My vision began to swirl and spin, and I coughed, feeling my body growing weaker and weaker, numbness spreading from my head to my fingertips.
"He's poisoning her! Inuyasha, move, quickly, or she'll die!" I heard Miroku shouting.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha's desperate scream for me, as he reached out for me. He was only feet away, and my vision was growing darker.
"You will not interfere. Leonard, restrain them!" Naraku ordered, and I heard it only vaguely. I saw a flash of blond hair, and then Leonard was there, fighting Inuyasha and the others back, away from me, so they couldn't save me.
I looked beyond Naraku, and I saw Kikyo standing there, behind us all, watching me, sadness in her eyes. She could not save me. She reached a hand out toward me, and I reached toward her, but I knew it was hopeless. My hand fell to my side, limp, and I looked at Inuyasha one last time. He held my eyes, and his were full of fear as he realized what was happening. I would never forget that look.
"Inuyasha . . ." My voice was faint, and I knew that I was dying. "I love you . . ." My eyes closed, and I knew no more.
Sango'sP.O.V.
Miroku, Inuyasha and I watched in horror as Kagome's form went limp, and she slumped in Naraku's grip, her eyes closing, her body unmoving. The purple miasma surrounding her and Naraku was beginning to spread towards us, and I knew that if we didn't move, it would poison us, and kill us, as it had Kagome.
Tears stung my eyes at the thought. No, I can't think about that right now, or we'll all die. We have to fight Naraku. We have to win. There's no time for pain right now. I dodged out of the way as Leonard swiped at me with his claws. Miroku moved in front of me, and lashed out at Leonard with a staff he'd borrowed from Inuyasha to fight with. Leonard hissed as the sharp point of the staff bit into his hand, and I watched in amazement as his flesh began to smoke. It was a holy staff, so it only made sense.
Inuyasha leapt toward Leonard with a roar, and his claws slashed into flesh. I had never before seen Inuyasha so enraged. I knew the pain of Kagome's death was what was causing him to act like this. His golden eyes knew no rationality, his heart no mercy. He was backing Leonard up steadily, and Naraku was watching from the sidelines, that damned smirk upon his face.
"You bastard!" I shouted, and I snatched up the thin blade Inuyasha had lent to me. I didn't know how to wield it well, because Inuyasha had only shown me a few ways to defend myself. I would take Naraku out myself if it was possible. I raced towards Naraku, blade held high, and he laughed, waiting for my arrival.
"Stay back, filthy human. He's mine." I gasped and stopped as Sesshomaru appeared, and when I saw the green toxins dripping from his claws, I did not question him. Sesshomaru dove towards Naraku, and I turned my attentions back to Leonard and my friends.
Miroku was barely fending Leonard off with his staff, and Inuyasha was coming after Naraku now. I rushed to help Miroku, and raised my sword, slashing into Leonard's back from behind. He roared in pain, and whipped around, his hand making hard contact with my cheek. I cried out and flew to the ground, and the minute he focused his attention on me, Miroku thrust the staff through his back, into his heart.
Leonard made a terrible noise, snarling and thrashing about as his body began to disintegrate, and I watched in horror as only a pile of ash gathered at my feet, where Leonard once stood.
Miroku ran over to me, crouching down beside me, his staff covered in blood, as my sword was. "Sango, are you all right?" he helped me sit up.
"I'm fine. Thanks for saving me." we held each other's eyes for a moment, and I knew without words what he was thinking about. He was thinking of Kagome, our friend, as I was. I shook my head. We had no time. Both of us focused our attention to Inuyasha.
"Stay back, little brother!" Sesshomaru shouted to Inuyasha, as the both of them exchanged blows with Naraku.
Naraku's body had changed into something horrifying, and Kagome's body laid only a few feet away from him, in the grass. His clothes had torn from his body, and instead of legs, the bottom of his body consisted of green, purple, and brown tentacles and a disgusting, pulsing mass, purple miasma covering the ground and seeping along the grass. His arms had lengthened and his hands had turned into talons, the claws razor sharp. He was laughing, the sound cruel and unforgivable, as brothers Sesshomaru and Inuyasha came at him with their own weapons.
Inuyasha wielded the Tetsusaiga, the legendary blade my grandfather had often told me stories about. Inuyasha had mentioned briefly bringing it, and upon seeing the huge sword made of a fang, I knew it possessed great power.
Sesshomaru's own blade was thin but no less powerful. He used it to sever one of Naraku's tentacles, but Naraku only laughed, as if it did not harm him at all. I gasped when I saw the decapitated mass creeping back along the ground, only to reform with Naraku's body.
"He's regenerating!" I shouted to the dog demon brothers, hoping this would help them. I grabbed my own blade and stood up. Miroku joined me, and the two of us rushed to help the two brothers.
"Fools, all of you, to think you can defeat me! My power is limitless!" Naraku dodged a blow from Tetsusaiga, and his talons lashed out, and I cried out as he slashed into Miroku's arm, knocking him aside effortlessly. I ran to Miroku's side, and he was gripping his arm, gritting his teeth in pain. Blood ran between his fingers. No! I can't lose someone else! I thought desperately, ripping the hem of my jeans and quickly tying it around Miroku's arm to stop the blood flow.
"Out of my way, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha bellowed, and leapt into the air, bringing his sword down in a slash toward Naraku. Naraku crossed his arms in front of him, and Inuyasha clashed hard, unable to cut through Naraku's arms. Naraku grunted and threw him back, and Inuyasha slammed into a gravestone. "Inuyasha!" I called, worried. He was on his feet within a matter of seconds, and I knew nothing could stop him.
"Weakling!" Sesshomaru spat, as he severed another one of Naraku's tentacles. He growled as Naraku swept him out of the way with his talons, and I grabbed Miroku's shoulders, dragging him out of danger's way. There was nothing I could really do now.
Naraku turned once Sesshomaru was knocked down, as Inuyasha was running at him from behind. "I'll kill you, Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled, raising his sword over his head and charging ahead.
Naraku smiled, and it was pure ice. "Come at me, Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha jumped up, repeating the same move from before, and Naraku was prepared. He used one tentacle to bash Inuyasha to the side, and another to wrench the Tetsusaiga from his grip, and fling it in the opposite direction. The Tetsusaiga flew through the air, spinning, before it stuck in the ground, quite a few feet away from Inuyasha. Inuyasha hit the ground hard, and laid there for a moment, before weakly sitting up.
"And now, Inuyasha, just like your mate, you will die." Naraku dove toward Inuyasha, and in that moment, time seemed to stop.
Inuyasha's body tensed, and I watched, transfixed, along with the others, as his head bowed, and his face was hidden from view. A low growl began to build up in his chest, and rose in volume and threat, as Naraku neared him. He lifted his hand, and my eyes widened at the sight of his claws lengthening.
"What's . . . what's happening?" I whispered, fear rushing through my system. Something was off about Inuyasha.
Naraku stopped in his descent, and even he knew something was wrong. Sesshomaru was sitting up by now, and his eyes were narrowed. "Inuyasha's scent has changed . . . into the scent of a full demon." he said quietly.
"His demon blood . . . it's taking over!" Miroku realized.
Inuyasha lifted his head, and his eyes were blood red, his pupils blue. Purple marks lined his face, and his fangs had lengthened. He stood up slowly, and I knew he was fully demon. He recognized neither friend nor foe, and would kill.
"So you are full demon now?" Naraku's voice was contemptuous. "You are still too weak to defeat me, Inuyasha. I will kill you now!" He dove toward Inuyasha once more.
Inuyasha threw his head back and howled, and the sound sent chills of fear down my spine. He leapt into the air to meet Naraku, and all of us watched horror as his claws ripped effortlessly through Naraku's body. I only vaguely heard Naraku's screams of pain and anger as chunks of his body flew everywhere. Inuyasha was laughing, and the sound was horrible and terrifying.
Inuyasha landed nimbly on his feet, and his fangs dripped with red blood, and it dripped all down his arm. Naraku lay on the grass in a bloody heap, his face frozen in an expression of disbelief, in his death.
Inuyasha began to laugh again, as he turned to face us. "Little humans come out to play?" his voice was filled with pure malice, and he flashed his claws at us, blood spraying all along the ground. He began to advance slowly toward us.
"Inuyasha, no! It's us, your friends!" I cried.
"Foolish girl, he does not recognize you." Sesshomaru said coldly from behind me. "He recognizes no one in this state. He will kill until he is killed. He knows neither pain nor fear in this form. Neither of you are to live much longer if he does not revert back."
"How do we change him back?" Miroku demanded.
"The Tetsusaiga. He must grasp it. I shall stay back and see how this plays out." Sesshomaru backed away.
"You won't stay and help your brother?" I demanded.
"He is of no concern to me." Sesshomaru replied simply. "You are running out of time."
I looked back to Inuyasha, who was getting closer, still looking at us with those bloodthirsty red eyes. "Inuyasha, snap out of it!" I tried again. "Don't do this! You avenged Kikyo and Kagome! you can't do this!"
"Inuyasha, listen! You must grasp the Tetsusaiga!" Miroku joined my pleas. "Remember us!"
"It is useless." Sesshomaru scoffed, turning away from us.
This is the end. He'll kill us both. I thought.
Kagome's P.O.V.
Where . . . where am I? It's . . . it's so warm. Everything is so warm . . .
"Kagome . . ."
A voice. There's a voice. Calling . . . someone. Someone called 'Kagome'.
"Kagome . . ."
Am I 'Kagome'? Is that who I am? It's warm . . . all around me. I . . . feel like I'm floating.
"Kagome, come back."
Come back? I must be 'Kagome'. I am Kagome. I remember now. That's who I am . . . And I . . . I have friends. They make me feel this warm. Sango, Miroku . . . Myoga . . . even Sesshomaru. And . . . there's someone else. Someone important. I can't forget them.
"Kagome, you must open your eyes!"
Inuyasha. My eyes opened. Inuyasha, that's who I'm forgetting. I can't forget him. I love him. He's . . . my world. Everything. I can't exist in a world where he doesn't also exist. He's all I have. And Sango, my sister. Miroku, my brother . . .
"Kagome, come back! Kagome!"
I turned my head. Everything was white and golden. There was a woman, and she was beautiful. She was beautiful, and so very sad. Kikyo. It was Kikyo.
"Kikyo . . . you're here." I was laying down. I sat up, feeling the warmth spread through me. "Where am I?"
"You are in the place between the spirit world and the real world." She answered softly. "You . . . died in the fight with Naraku. He has also become responsible for your death."
"I . . . died?" I whispered. The thought hurt. "That means . . . I can't see Inuyasha anymore. Ever again. Sango, Miroku . . . no one ever again. Grandpa, Sota, Mom . . . none of them. I'm . . . dead."
Kikyo's eyes were filled with kindness. "Kagome, you must listen to me. There is still time. Time to change this. Inuyasha needs you now, more than ever. His demon blood has taken over. He will kill all of your friends, even his brother, if he is not stopped. And you are the only one, who can get through to him."
"But how?" I whispered, hopeless.
"My soul has been saved, Kagome, because of you." Kikyo crouched in front of me, and cupped my face. And her hand was warm. "I shall use the last of my power to revive you, and send you back. It is not your time to go. You were created for Inuyasha. And he was created for you. After I send you back, I can no longer contact you. My soul will finally be at peace, and I can rest. This will be goodbye."
My eyes filled with tears, and they began to spill over. "Kikyo . . . no, send yourself back. Take what's left of me. You should live again. You deserve it. Please, Kikyo . . ."
She smiled, and it was sad. "No, Kagome. Your kindness astounds me, still . . . but that is not how it is meant to be. My time on this earth is over. You must go back. I cannot."
"Kikyo, please . . ." I was begging her.
"Take what is left of me, and live for me, Kagome. Love Inuyasha as I did, for the rest of your time. My soul will go on loving him, as long as it exists. Go back to your time, Kagome, where you are supposed to be. The way you are supposed to be . . ." She leaned forward, and her warm, soft lips pressed to my forehead as tears slipped down my face. I felt heat rush through me, and strength, and I was flying, flying back, back to my body.
"Goodbye . . ." was the last thing uttered from Kikyo's lips, and I knew she was gone, forever.
My eyes flew open, and I realized I was laying on the ground. It was cold all around me, and I could feel the grass underneath me. "Inuyasha!" I bolted up, and I saw him there, and I saw Kikyo's words were true. His eyes were red, his pupils blue, his claws and fangs lengthened and his claws covered with blood.
"Inuyasha!" I stood up and ran toward him, and he whipped around toward me, snarling. His eyes widened upon glimpsing me, and I knew there was something inside him fighting it, fighting the demon blood, trying to recognize me, trying to go back to normal.
I raced towards him, and threw my arms around his waist. "Inuyasha, I'm alive. I'm alive. Please, come back to me!" I cried, holding onto him for dear life.
"Kagome!" Sango's voice was heartbreaking, and I could tell she was crying. "How is it possible?"
"Inuyasha! Come back to me!" I said desperately, pulling back and looking into his eyes.
He snarled and gripped my shoulders with his claws, and I flinched. "Inuyasha . . ." I leaned up toward him, and pressed my lips against his, holding onto him as if my very life depended on it, which it did.
I gradually felt the change in him, and his claws slackened on me, and his hard grip became an embrace, and he returned my kiss. "Kagome . . ." he breathed on my lips, and I felt something wet hit my lips, and I pulled back, my eyes widening upon seeing the tears slipping down his face.
"Kagome." he pulled me into an embrace, and tears brimmed my eyes as well.
"Inuyasha, I'm ok. So, you have to be ok now too." I whispered.
His arms were shaking around me, and I understood his pain. I had felt that pain of our separation before. I knew what I was losing, what I could lose. And I understood I couldn't lose him. I couldn't live without him.
"Kagome!" Sango raced towards us, and threw her arms around us. Miroku soon joined, and I stayed like that, holding onto all of them, refusing to give up this moment. I love all of you, and I can't live without any of you. I need all of you to be complete.
"How touching." Sesshomaru sounded displeased. "But there is a problem. Naraku isn't dead."
Inuyasha lifted his head, and his tears had stopped by now. "What!"
"You only managed to subdue him for a time. You must finish him off with the wind scar, a task only you can complete. I will leave him to you, little brother." Sesshomaru looked at all of us one more time, and I wondered, briefly, if he longed for a relationship with someone, like the ones I had with Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha. I wondered if he wished to not be alone, but then he was gone.
"Kagome, you stay back. I won't lose you again." Inuyasha said quietly, pushing me back, as pieces of Naraku's body slithered along the ground and began to reform. I let out a sound of protest, as Inuyasha raced past Naraku's reforming body and grabbed his Tetsusaiga, the blade transforming into it's great form. It was in that moment that I made my decision.
"Sango, Miroku, take cover!" Inuyasha yelled, and the two hastened to do so, while I ran around and then behind Inuyasha.
I wrapped my arms around him from behind. "I'm going to be by your side, Inuyasha!" I declared.
His expression softened for a moment. "Kagome . . ." Then it grew fierce, and he nodded. He turned back to Naraku, and narrowed his eyes. "You should have stayed dead . . ." He growled. "I can see it, the wind and the demonic energy spiraling . . . and in the middle, where they meet, they're crashing . . ."
Inuyasha and I gasped as the Tetsusaiga pulsed, letting off waves of its own energy. "The Tetsusaiga . . . it wants me to cut there, where they meet . . . that will make the windscar!" Inuyasha realized. "All right then, Tetsusaiga!" he bared his sword, and I tensed my body, ready for it.
Naraku's body had reformed by this point, and he was looking upon us with hatred, obviously seeking revenge. "Inuyasha!" He snarled, and raised his talons, coming at us.
Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga over his head, and brought it down in a powerful arc, bellowing, "WIND SCAR!"
Bolts of yellow and white energy erupted forth, lancing toward Naraku at lightning speed. I watched in amazement as the bolts of energy struck his body, and began to tear relentlessly through his form. Naraku screamed in agony and despair, and I knew he wouldn't regenerate this time. "No! NO! THIS CAN'T BE!" The ground rumbled, and our hair flew back with the force of the wind scar.
When the commotion was over, nothing was left of Naraku, and the ground was devastated beyond the graveyard, torn up in a mess by the power of the wind scar. Smoke rose up from the ground, and I felt myself relax.
"It's over." I said softly. "It's finally over."
I know, I know, cheap place to leave off. But, the battle is finally over, and Naraku is dead. However cheesy it may have been, our heroes are triumphant!
So, how many of you were pissed when Kagome died? How many of you had a hunch that she would come back? You can't seriously think I'd end a story where true love doesn't triumph! Oh no no no, we can't have that here.
So, tell me your thoughts on this chapter!
Next chapter, the epilogue.